


fire bolt

by gourmetpap3r



Series: concentration: required [4]
Category: Baldur's Gate, baldur's gate 3
Genre: M/M, Magic Lessons, Mutual Pining, because theyre both bad at communicating head-on, confessions of feelings but theyre like.. wrapped in layers of vagueness, do first kisses count if theyre only on ur knuckles and forehead asking for a friend, no beta we illiterate, owlbears added for your enjoyment
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-12
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-20 12:14:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30004728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gourmetpap3r/pseuds/gourmetpap3r
Summary: "Lesson one. Are you ready?"Marsh confirmed with a nod."Alright, repeat after me." He was treating it all like a dance, just as last night. Marsh looked to Gale again, locking eyes with him for a moment as the wizard gently held his hand to correct his posture yet again. Every touch felt like sinking into a cloud, comfortable and safe.Seems this was a learning experience in more ways than one.or: one spell and two kisses
Relationships: Gale (Baldur's Gate)/Original Character(s), Gale (Baldur's Gate)/Original Male Character(s)
Series: concentration: required [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2147016
Comments: 1
Kudos: 6





	fire bolt

**Author's Note:**

> another drabble.. not fully satisfied with this but hey im posting it anyway . enjoy some boring magic lessons written solely to justify why marsh is an arcane trickster in-game. yall should know by now these are fully self-indulgent if anyone else enjoys them thats just an added bonus!!

It was almost strange how a good night's rest seemed to cure the entire party of any ailments, no matter how severe. Marsh was currently agnostic, and if he’d had any faith previously, it had vanished along with his memories. But as he woke up with nothing more than a few bruises and a sore leg, he thought that maybe someone above was looking out for them. As always he was the last of the party to wake, everyone else already in the midst of packing up camp for the day. Even Gale, who had been up as long as Marsh had the previous night, was seemingly ready to leave already.

They had two days worth of travel ahead of them until they reached the Emerald Grove again, and thankfully the journey was much safer now that the roads had been cleared. Halsin had turned into a bird, scouting overhead in case of an ambush - but nothing happened. It was a tad boring, if one were to compare it to the excitement of the previous day (of course, that required you look past the part where they had killed dozens of goblins; Marsh would have time to reflect on the morality of that later). 

*

“Lesson one.” Gale started, currently standing his full height in front of Marsh who had taken a seat on a blanket on the ground. It was later in the evening at this point, the party having made camp not long ago. Gale had made good on his promise to be a temporary tutor for the rogue, pulling him aside post-dinner and making distance between the two and the rest of the party, before formally starting their lesson.

“Respect the weave. It’s a symbiotic relationship, it takes great care and attention to bend it to your will.” He demonstrated, summoning a single flame that danced in his palm. “Last night I was your conduit, so it might be a lot more difficult. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t stick the landing the first time around.” He snuffed out the flame again - effortlessly.

With a nod, Marsh confirmed. 

“Alright then; repeat after me.” 

*

Gale had been right, this was a lot harder than he anticipated. Not that Marsh didn’t hold deep respect for the wizards capabilities, but last night had been effortless, almost dreamlike. This was hard. The words were foreign and felt heavy on the tongue. The gesture was complex, even if Gale made it look effortless. The wizard had demonstrated thrice now, summoning a small flame that danced in his palm.

It took the better part of 30 minutes of pure concentration and repetition for a flicker of fire to appear in the drows own hands, shaky and unsteady. But present.

The wizard's eyes had lit up as he watched in pride. Even with such an unremarkable feat, Gale was proud and it motivated the rogue to no end. Surely he could do this if Gale believed he could. 

“There you go! Now, focus on your core. Find a thread of weave and slowly pull at it - don’t let it unravel.” 

Very vague instructions, but he supposed they made sense. Marsh focused on his breathing, watching as the flame grew, he looked to Gale for confirmation. One momentary lapse in concentration, and suddenly the arcane fire grew hot in his palm. Burning. He winced at the sudden pain, closing his eyes and instinctively trying to get rid of it. He waved his palm around, trying to put out the flame, but it remained.

“Compose yourself, Marsh. Relax; breathe.” 

Easier said than done, Marsh felt adrenaline in his ears and perked up as he watched the firebolt shoot out of his palm, hitting the cold dirt - inches away from Gale’s leather boots. 

“I said to  _ not  _ let it unravel.” Gale stressed, moving closer to inspect Marsh’s palm; none showed. “Did you hurt yourself?”

The drow shook his head. “No, I just got startled I think, sorry.”

“Well, that’s a relief… I’ve known wizards whose first firebolts ended with the loss of their eyebrows.” Gale stated. “I will admit, maybe asking you to pull magic straight from your core was ambitious for your first spell.”

Marsh’s gaze drifted downward, to the small burnt spot in the dirt. He hesitated. “Can I try again?”

“That’s what I want to hear.”

*

Gale was a good teacher, not that Marsh had any other people to compare him to. Gale was incomparable to any other person in the drows recollection - albeit obviously not used to working with a complete beginner in terms of the arcane. Explaining the basics seemed to be lost on the former arch-wizard, having incantations and arcane gestures embedded into muscle memory. Gale even seemed to have to stop and think sometimes in order to properly explain, seems like having done this since childhood had made something as simple as a firebolt second nature to him.

The wizard was treating it all like a dance, just as last night - sharing something as intimate to him as magic, with Marsh. 

He looked to Gale again, locking eyes with him for a moment as the wizard gently held his hand to correct his posture yet again. Every touch felt like sinking into a cloud, comfortable and safe.

Seems it was a learning experience in more ways than one.

It took another two hours and several failed attempts before Marsh had semi-mastered his firebolt. In this case, ‘semi-mastered’ meant that he no longer was at risk of immediately putting himself or others in harm's way - which was definitely an improvement from his starting point. 

Gale seemed proud, both of Marsh but also of himself. Mastering the arcane was impressive as is, but teaching another person was definitely not easy either - especially given their current conditions. 

After calling it a night with regards to the teaching, the two settled down in their usual spot with a cup of tea. Gale summoned a familiar cat, the feline creature crawling up to rest in Marsh’s lap purring ever so slightly. Silent and comfortable revelry.

At this point, Marsh was sure he was a little bit in love with Gale of Waterdeep. If he even knew what that entailed. The proximity of the two, the soft brushes of skin against skin - gentle corrections. Gale didn’t rush him along or get angry or frustrated when he failed. His presence calmed the drow down. 

“You did well tonight.” Gale spoke in his usual tone of firm but gentle. “You’re a grand student.”

“Thanks to you - you’re a good teacher.”

“Oh I know.” His response was taken with a light smirk but there was also something dismissive about it - as if he didn’t quite fully believe it. Marsh hesitated for a moment, before reaching out to hold Gale’s forearm and squeeze it softly. Gale sighed faintly, and Marsh took it as a green light. He leaned his head to rest on the wizards shoulder. 

“This is nice.” He thought aloud; partially to express his feelings, and partially to request confirmation from Gale - that he also found it nice and enjoyable. That he also wished a moment could last forever and they could stay like this for much longer than was probably responsible. 

“When I first met you, I was merely grateful to not have to face this journey alone. In these times of mind flayers and new gods, I never thought this a possibility, it seemed almost foolish to indulge in courtship.” There it was: Confirmation.

_ Courtship _ , the word felt very official. “And still..” Gale raised his free hand, and delicately picked up Marsh’s free hand, holding his knuckles to his lips and planting a kiss there. Slow and careful - intimate. He felt the light scratch of Gale’s beard brushing against his fingers. Marsh felt a blush creeping its way up his cheeks and he couldn’t help but smile. “Maybe we can let ourselves be foolish.” Gale stated, in that strange way he would sometimes speak; as if it was easier to communicate through metaphors and subtext. Marsh glanced to his lips, then his beard; the two were currently very close. And surely this had to be a romantic moment? For all of the doubt the rogue fed himself there was no mistaking it right now - surely. 

The human's deep brown eyes reflected a gentle honey, and dripped with anticipation - expectancy as he waited for Marsh's response.  _ Oh right, he should probably respond. _

“I’d like that.” The drow nodded.

“And what a relief that is to hear.” Gale stated, voice slightly flustered. He paused for a moment, the two cloaked in the silence of the night. Marsh quietly got up from his seat, standing his full height in front of the, currently seated, wizard. 

He carefully brushed his fingers over the scar adorning Gale’s forehead.  _ How did you get this? _ He wondered, yet remained quiet as he leaned over and planted a kiss there. It was his first in memory, and felt just as important. He watched as Gale’s face flushed a soft red, he reached out to hold the others hand again and gave it a delicate squeeze. 

“I don’t know what I did to deserve your compassion. Many things around me still remain cloaked in mystery, your patience means more than you possibly realize. All will be revealed in due time, I promise.”

“You don’t owe me anything, Gale, I’ve told you.”

“And yet, I do.” Gale averted his gaze - dejected. “Get some rest now, I’ll find you in the morning; we still have yet to begin with lesson two.” 

Not long after did Marsh find rest, comfortable in his tent with an owlbear cub fast asleep by his side. He thought back to the day prior, reflecting on everything that had happened. As most other nights, he searched his mind for any semblance of memory that he had desperately been trying to grab hold of again. And as most other nights he was met with a blank slate - only managing to picture the usual face with evershifting features in his mind's eye. This was someone he knew previously, surely; they felt important. Important enough that it was the person who visited his dreams ever so often, he was sure of it. And yet whenever he woke up the figure was gone from his recollection, just another vague presence finding purchase in his subconscious. 

He gave up scouring his mind soon after, deciding to make a mental note to speak with Halsin about it the following day.

He thought back to his evening with Gale and particularly the wizards trust in him. He thought back to the kiss, the one Gale gave to him and the one he gave to Gale. As he shifted to get comfortable on his bedroll, the owlbear cub (Baby, as they’d named it) stretched its legs and readjusted, curling up closer to him. Soon enough sleep wrapped him in its embrace. All was well.

**Author's Note:**

> we're approaching relationship territory maybe? and heading a bit into marshs backstory? next fic tiefling party maybe? ALSO YES i am giving my tav a cuddly owlbear because it is what he DESERVES!!!!


End file.
